Method and apparatus for automatically packing confections



Sept; 15, 1970 Fla! KAORU KAWASAKI 3,528,211

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY PACKING CONFECTIONS Filed m 28,1968 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 R KADRU KAWASAKI,

Inventor y Halal P Attorney 5 Sept. 15,1970

KAORU KAWASAKI METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY PACKINGOONFEGTIONS Filed June 28, 1968 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Mmiu KAWASAR! A TL e N1E2 va 32 .v N ADHH i {:1 r m m .T I HUI (N I a I .(g r f A 2 1 Q Q A, Qf

lnoenlor B wmmm A Home y S l 1979 KAQRU KAWASAKI I 3, A

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY PACKING CONFECTIONS Filed June28, 1968 L 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 KAORLI KAWASAKI,

lnvenlo r s wwmki PM A Home y S p 15, 1979 KAORU KAWASAKI 3,528,211

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY PACKING GONFECTIONS Filed June28, 1968 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 A ADRU KAWASAKI,

lnuenlor l llto rney S Sept. 15, 1970 KAORU KAWASAKI 3,528,211

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY PACKING CONF'ECTIONS Filed June28, 1968 7 Shecs-Sheet a FIG. 6

K-AORU 'KAwAsAKi,

' Invnlor s mwvtlmw,

Allor ney 5 3,528,211 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY PACKINGCONFEGTIONS 4 Filed'June 28, 1968 KAORU KAWASAKI Sept. 15 1970 7Sheets-Sheet 6 FIG/3 1 KAOQU KAWASAKI,

Inventor By I '4 AltorneyS Se t. 15, 1970 KAORU KAWASAKI 3,528,211

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY PACKING ,CONFEGTIONS I Filed June28, 1968 7 Sheets-Sheet '7 KADQU KAWASAKI lrwenlor B AMWM 1;!

g, Attorneys United States Patent US. Cl. 53-23 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE A method and apparatus for automatically packing confectionswith base sheets of paper. The packing operation comprises transferringorderly arranged confections from fiat plates onto a conveyor belt,dividing the confections in transit on the belt into packing units,delivering each unit of confections and each base sheet respectivelyinto each of confection receiving members and base sheet carriersadvancing on endless chains, transferring the confections from each ofthe receiving members onto the respective base sheets after the flaps ofthe sheets have been unfolded, and sending out the packed confectionsonto a chute for further packaging operation.

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus forautomatically packing confections such as chocolates. The packingoperation to be carried out under the present invention comprisesfull-automatically placing on base sheets of paper or into cases to beused as wrappings a desired number of small confections like chocolateseach having an edge of approximately /8 inch, retaining the confectionsby bent flaps of the base sheets or of the cases against possibledisplacement therefrom, and sending out these confections for thesubsequent step of packaging.

At present, commercially available are packs of chocolate about the sizeof conventional slab chocolates each including a suitable number ofchocolate pieces having an edge of about inch and retained on a basesheet or in a case. However, in case such chocolate pieces are arrangedand placed on the base sheets in respective manual operations, thepackaging work carried out results in extremely poor eificiency, aprincipal factor of cost increase. This is by no means desirable whenconsidered from the viewpoint of food sanitation.

A principal object of the present invention is to develop a method inwhich, for packing confections such as abovementioned chocolates ingroups of a desired number of pieces, the confections are placed ontowrapper base sheets in a full-automatic and highly efficient operation,the confections being prevented from possible displacement therefrom bythe flaps of the base sheets, thereby effecting cost reduction inpacking this type of confections and insuring a desirable packingoperation from the viewpoint of food sanitation.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a packingapparatus for carrying out the above described method by which asuitable number of confections are placed onto each of packing basesheets in full-automatic and highly efficient operation, the confectionsbeing retained thereon by bent flaps of the base sheets, and thereiceafter being sent forward to the subsequent step of packaging. In moredetailed description, the object of the present invention is to providean apparatus for holding the confections on the base sheets of paperWithout damaging the shape of such confections which are in themselvessticky and yet brittle.

The present invention comprises a frame box for containing square orrectangular plates piled in layers each carrying in orderly arrangementa predetermined number of confections such as chocolates of uniformsize, means for receiving from under the frame box the lowermost of theplates one by one with the confections retained thereon and carryingeach of the plates forward from the lowermost position of the frame box,means for transferring the confections on the plates sent out to thefront of the frame box onto an endless conveyor belt without disturbingthe arrangement, means for dividing the confections into packing groupsof a desired number while the confections still in the above-mentionedarrangement are being advanced toward a direction, means fortransferring the divided confections from the delivery end of theendless conveyor belt into each confection receiving member, means inoperative relationship therewith for successively supplying onto eachbase sheet carrier the lowermost of the base sheets piled up in a basepaper container, means for conveying each of the con fection receivingmembers and base sheet carriers in the same direction, unfolding duringthe conveying operation the base sheet on the respective carriers so asto receive the confections and bending desired portions, means fordelivering the confections from the respective confection receivingmembers onto each of the base sheets ready for receiving the same, andmeans for bending a portion of each confection-loaded base sheet toprevent the confections from dropping and directing theconfection-loaded base sheets to a chute.

Other object and detailed construction of the present invention willbecome apparent from an embodiment of the invention to be hereinafterdescribed.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an example of the apparatus embodying thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, the gearingtherein being shown in imaginary line;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged rear view in section showing the frame boxportion, illustrated in the left-hand portion of FIG. 2, for placingtherein chocolate carrying plates;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged side elevation showing the apparatus in FIG. 2 asseen from the left side thereof;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view in section taken on the transverse line AA inFIG. 1 showing an endless conveyor belt;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged plan view of the portion B in FIG. 1, namely ofmechanism for sending out the divided confections from the endlessconveyor belt and another mechanism for delivering base sheets from abase sheet container;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged front view of the portion shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view taken along the transverse line CC in FIG. 1showing a mechanism for unfolding the base sheets;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged plan view showing the relationship between achocolate receiving member and a base 3 sheet carrier which are disposedin the right-hand portion of the apparatus;

FIG. 10 is a view of the parts shown in FIG. 9 as seen from the side(from the left in FIG. 1);

FIG. 11 is a rear view of the base sheet carrier taken along the lineD--'D in FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a cross sectional view taken along the line EE in FIG. 10showing the chocolate receiving member and chocolate pusher;

FIG. 13 is a plan view on an enlarged scale showing a guide member forraising and bending a flap;

FIG. 14 is an enlarged front view of the same;

FIG. 15 is an enlarged side elevation of the same;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing chocolate pieces as molded by achocolate manufacturing apparatus and placed on the carrying plate inorderly arrangement;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view showing a packing base sheet for chocolateas it is folded; and

FIG. 18 is a perspective view showing a desired nurnber of chocolatepieces (i.e. twelve pieces in this figure) as they are placed andretained on the packing base sheet in the final step of the operationunder the present invention.

In the embodiment illustrated, there is shown a packing apparatus bywhich twelve chocolate pieces b formed in desired size are arranged intwo rows each comprising six pieces and retained on a wrapper base sheeta of rectangular shape having flaps a a a and a along the peripheraledges thereof as shown in FIG. 18.

For the packing operation, forty-eight chocolate pieces 12 are placed ona fiat chocolate carrying plate exactly as they were molded by achocolate manufacturing apparatus, the chocolates being orderly arrangedin six ranks and eight files.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the plates c carrying the chocolate pieces bin the arrangement described above are placed in layers in a frame box 1which is disposed upright in the backward left portion of a main frame 2and across a pair of guide rails 3 provided transversely in theleft-hand portion of the main frame 2. The chocolate carrying plates care placed in the frame box 1 in such manner that each of the eightfiles of the orderly arranged chocolate pieces b thereon is disposedtransversely of the main frame 2 and in parallel to the guide rails 3.

The plates 0 piled up in layers in the frame box 1 are placed therein sothat the right and left margins of the lowermost plate c mayrespectively be received by the edges of supporting members 4, the edgesextending inwardly from the right and left sides of the frame box 1, thelowermost plate 0 thereby being positioned slightly above the surfacelevel of the guide rails 3. This supporting position is so determinedthat it is higher than the level of the rail surface by a distanceslightly more than the thickness of the plate 0 plus the height of thechocolate pieces b thereon.

The supporting members 4 disposed in the left and right side portions ofthe frame box 1 have respective legs 5 which are pivotally supported bypivots 6 mounted on the main frame 2, each of said supporting legs 5being provided with protrusions 7a and 7b spaced apart respectively inthe upper and lower positions relative to the pivot 6. Being positionedin facing relation with protrusions 9 of a vertical travel frame 8installed in the main frame 2, the protrusions 7a and 7b are alternatelybrought into contact with the protrusions 9 in the upper and lowerlimits of the vertical movement of the vertical travel frame 8 therebypermitting the edge portions of the supporting members 4 to project fromor into the frame box 1. Also mounted on the legs 5 are restoringsprings 10 which serve to force the edge portions of the supportingmembers 4 to project inwardly of the frame box 1. The height of theupper ends 8a of the vertical travel frame 8 is such that the ends mayreach the bottom surface of the lowermost plate 0 in the frame box 1when brought to the upper limit of the upward movement, whereby upon theprotrusions 9 during the upward movement causing the edge portions ofthe supporting members 4 to project outwardly from the frame box 1 andrelease the opposite margins of the plate 0, the plate 0 is allowed torest on the upper ends 8a and is brought down with the downward movementof the frame 8 to be placed on the guide rails 3.

In the lower portion of the vertical travel frame 8 is provided anoperating rod 8b. A roller in the end portion of the rod is kept incontact with the upper surface of the end of a cam lever 11. The baseportion of the cam lever 11 is pivotally mounted on an axis 2a supportedon the main frame 2. By means of a restoring spring 15 acting on thevertical travel frame 8, a cam roller 14 rotatably mounted on the camlever 11 is pressed against and brought in contact with the peripheralsurface of a disc cam 13 mounted on a cam shaft 12.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, when the cam shaft 12 is rotatedtogether With the disc cam 13 in the direction indicated by the arrow,the cam lever 11 is pivotally moved upward as it is brought into contactwith the radially jutting out portion of the disc cam 13, and thevertical travel frame 8 is therefore pushed up by the end portion of thelever. With this upward movement of the frame 8, the protrusions 9therein contacting with the lower protrusions 7b of the legs 5 areraised to get detached therefrom and brought into pressing contact withthe upper protrusions 7a thereby forcing the legs 5 to move pivotallyagainst the restoring spring 10 to get the edge portions of thesupporting members 4 outwardly retracted from the inside of the framebox 1. Accordingly, the opposite margins of the plate 0 supported by theedges of the supporting members 4 are released therefrom to be receivedby the upper ends 8a of the frame 8 now elevated to a position beneaththe plate 0. Upon further rotation of the disc cam 13, the cam roller 14is brought down to a lower position along the disc cam 13, so that thecam lever 11, urged by the restoring spring 15, is set in downwardpivotal movement thereby permitting the vertical travel frame 8 todescend together with the plate 0 on the upper ends 8a, andsimultaneously therewith, the protrusions 9 of the frame 8 are releasedfrom the upper protrusions 7a. By the resiliency of the restoring spring10, the edges of the supporting members 4 are now urged into the framebox 1 to a position above the upper surface of the opposite margins ofthe plate c which is supported by the upper ends 8a of the frame 8 andunder the bottom surface of the margins of another plate 0 overlying theabove mentioned plate c. The plate c on the upper ends of the verticaltravel frame 8 is placed on the guide rails 3. As the frame 8 is furthermoved down, the upper ends 8a are detached from the under surface of theplate 0 and the protrusions 9 are brought into contact with the lowerprotrusions 7b. On the other hand, the plate c overlying the plate 0 onthe guide rails 3 is prevented from descending, the right and leftmargins thereof being supported by the edges of the supporting members 4with a slight clearance formed between the chocolate pieces 12 on theplate c placed on the guide rails 3 and the overlying plate c. In thismanner, the plates 0 within the frame box 1 are, from the lowermostposition, carried down one by one onto the guide rails 3 disposedthereunder to be thereafter carried out to a position in front of theframe box 1 by means of a device below described.

Behind the plate c placed on the guide rails 3 and carrying thechocolate pieces b is a travelling member 17 which is adapted to moveforward or backward along guide frames 16 disposed behind the frame box1 (see FIGS. 1 to 4). Upon the plate c being placed on the guide rails3, the travelling member 17 is advanced to push the rows or orderlyarranged chocolate pieces b on the plate c and move them slightlyforward thereby releasing the chocolate pieces I) from stickingengagement with the plate 0.

Through a link 22, an operating rod 21 pivotally connected as at 21a toan arm 2d on the main frame 2 and further through a link 20, thetravelling member 17 is connected to a cam lever 19 which is connectedat a pivot 20 to an end of an arm 2b extending from the main frame 2. Onthe cam lever 19 is mounted a rotatable cam roller 19a which, by meansof a restoring spring 19b provided in an end portion of the lever, iskept in contact with the peripheral surface of a disc cam 18. The disccam 18 is mounted on the previously mentioned cam shaft 12 and isrotatable coaxially with the aforementioned disc cam 13. Thus, theforward or backward movement of the travelling member 17 can be effectedby the rotation of the disc cam 18 in operative relationship with theupward or downward movement of the vertical travel frame 8.

Below the frame box 1 are positioned pushing members 24 adapted to bemoved along the guide rails 3 toward the front of the main frame 2 bymeans of endless chains 23 provided under the guide rails 3. Guided bythe rails 3, the plate 0 carrying the chocolate pieces b which are freeof the sticking engagement therewith is sent forward from under theframe box 1 by the pushing member 24. The pushing members 24 aredisposed on the endless chains 23 with a predetermined space betweenadjacent members which corresponds to the transfer space of the plates 6to be delivered onto the guide rails 3 from the frame box 1. The endlesschains 23 are trained around sprockets 25a and 26a on sprocket shafts 25and 26 supported on the main frame 2, the sprockets shaft 25 beingadapted to be driven by a sprocket 27 on the cam shaft 12 through achain 28 which is in driving relation to the sprockets 27, 29 and 30.Thus, the pushing members 24 are adapted to be driven together with theendless chains 23.

The arranged chocolate pieces b on the plate 0 pushed forward to thefront of the main frame is prevented, in the vicinity of the frontportion of the main frame 2, from further advancing by means of a stopbar 31 provided across the guide rails 3, so that after the front row ofthe chocolate pieces b contacts with the stop bar 31, only the plate 0is pushed gradually toward the forward ends of the guide rails 3 by thepushing member 24. Upon the front row of the chocolate pieces b abuttingthe stop bar 31, a regulating rod 34 disposed in front of the frame box1 comes down behind the rear end row of the chocolate pieces b andadjusts the spaces among ranks of the chocolate pieces b which aredetained by the stop bar 31.

The regulating rod 34 extends across the guide rails 3 in front of theframe box with the opposite ends thereof supported by pivotal arms 33.While the chocolate pieces b are in transit below the regulating rod 34,the rod is held to a desired elevated position as shown in FIG. 4, thepivotal arms 33 being supported by pivots 32 on the main frame 2 inpivotally movable manner. Through a connecting rod 37, the pivotal arm33 is linked to a cam lever 36 whose base portion is pivotally supportedon an axis 2a. The cam lever 36 has a cam roller 36a in contact with adisc cam 34 mounted on the cam shaft 12 and adapted to be rotatedintegrally with the disc earns 13 and 18 as previously mentioned. Thus,in conformity with the peripheral shape of the disc cam 35, the pivotalarm 33 is set in pivotal movement to permit the regulating rod 34 tomove up and down as aforementioned. Since all of the earns 13, 18 and 35are mounted on the cam shaft 12 which is operatively connected to theendless chains 23 for sending the plate 0 forward along the guide rails3, all of the movements described above can be effected without theslightest error.

Directly above the group of chocolate pieces b in orderly arrangementwhich are prevented from advancing by the stop bar 31 are six holdingrods 38 equidistantly spaced apart in parallel and extending toward theright of the main frame 2 for preventing the chocolate pieces b frombeing raised up off the plate c due to the forward movement of the plate0. Since the chocolate pieces 11 are arranged in eight files along theguide rails 3 and in six ranks as previously stated, the six holdingrods 38 are disposed along the ranks and equidistantly spaced apart inparallel so as to be respectively positioned over each of the chocolatepieces 12.

Before the plate c leaves the under surface of the group of chocolates,the chocolate pieces b, prevented from advancing by the stop bar 31 andkept from moving up off the plate 0 by the holding rods 38, aretransferred onto an endless conveyor belt 47 by a discharge member 40conducted by endless chains 39 positioned above the detained chocolates,said discharge members 40 being adapted to move in the direction inwhich the holding rods 38 extend, i.e. toward the right of the mainframe 2, the endless conveyor belt 47 being provided on the right sideof the guide rails 3 and adapted to move rightward of the main frame 2.The discharge members 40 are mounted on the endless chains 39 inpredetermined spaced relationship. The endless chains 39 are trainedaround sprockets 41a and 42a on the sprocket shafts 41 and 42 which arerotatably supported by brackets 22 on the main frame 2. The sprocketshaft 41 is operatively connected in a sprocket-chain relationship as at44 to a drive shaft 43 which is rotatably supported by a bracket 2 onthe main frame 2. The speed of the chains 39 is previously so adjustedthat the chocolate pieces b, prevented from advancing as aforementioned,may entirely be transferred onto the belt 47 by the discharge member 40before the plate c leaves the under surface of the chocolate pieces b,namely while the plate 0 still carries the chocolate pieces thereon. Atthe same time, as will be later described, the chains 39 are adapted tobe driven in operative relationship with the rotation of the cam shaft12.

On the right side of the guide rails 3 is a guide plate (or bridgeplate) 5a through which, when the transferring operation is to be made,the chocolate pieces 12 may be conducted onto the endless conveyor belt47.

As illustrated in detail in FIG. 5, the endless conveyor belt 47comprises a large number of idle rollers 46 disposed in parallel betweentwo parallel endless chains 45 which are adapted to advance toward theright of the main frame 2, the axes of the idle rollers 46 being normalto the advancing direction of the conveyor belt 47. The idle rollers 46are free to rotate independently of the advancing speed of the endlessconveyor belt 47. The endless chains 45 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) are trainedaround sprockets 48a and 49a on sprocket shafts 48 and 49 on the mainframe 2. The upper surface of the endless conveyor belt 47 is disposedunder the holding rods 38, and between the upper surface and the rodsthere is a space which serves as a passage for the chocolates b. Whendriven toward the right of the main frame 2, the endless conveyor belt47 carries the chocolate pieces b exactly as they are arranged. Duringan operation in which the arranged chocolate pieces b are transferred bythe discharge member 40 from the plate C onto the endless conveyor belt47, the holding rods 38 serve to prevent the chocolates b from beingraised up off the plate 0 or off the guide plate 3a. The rods 38 alsokeep the rested on the endless conveyor belt 47. Furthermore asillustrated, each of the discharge members 40 is provided with cut-outportions 40a for the holding rods 38 to get into to insure a smoothdischarge operation. A sprocket shaft 49 for driving the endlessconveyor belt 47 is operatively connected in sprocket-chain relationshipas at 51 to a drive shaft 50 rotatably mounted on the main frame 2 (seeFIG. 2). Thus, the chocolate pieces b transferred onto the endlessconveyor belt 47 in seriatim are led toward the right of the main frame2 in rows of six pieces facing toward the advancing direction of thebelt, each of the rows being in contact with the adjacent ones.

Intermediately along the path of the endless conveyor belt 47 and inraised position transverse to the same is disposed a dividing roller 52mounted on an axis 53 rotatably supported by a bracket 2g on the mainframe 2. The dividing roller 52 is provided in the circumferential outersurface thereof with dividing members 54 for dividing six-piece rows ofchocolates b into groups of two rows (i.e. twelve pieces). The dividingmembers 54 are circumferentially equidistantly spaced apart and theedges of the members 54 are adapted to be brought close to the surfaceof the endless conveyor belt 47 during the rotation of the dividingroller 52. In the dividing members 54 are formed cut-out portions 54afor the holding rods 38 to get into during the rotation so that the edgeportions of the dividing members 54 may be positioned below the holdingrods 38.

Being operatively connected in sprocket-chain relation as at 56 to adrive shaft 55 rotatably mounted on the main frame 2, the dividingroller 52 is adapted to be rotated in the direction indicated in FIG. 2.The speed of rotation given to the axis 53 of the roller is such thatthe circumferential speed thereof may be slightly lower than theadvancing speed of the endless conveyor belt 47. Accordingly, it will beseen that the arranged chocolate pieces b to be carried forward on theendless conveyor belt 47 are temporarily prevented from advancing by thedividing member 54 of the dividing roller 52 which is positionedproximate to the upper surface of the endless conveyor belt 47, foremosttwo rows of chocolate pieces b (twelve pieces) being caught between thetwo adjacent dividing members 54 to be thereafter delivered successivelyto the right side of the dividing roller 52. In the meantime, thefollowing chocolate pieces b positioned on the left of the dividingroller 52 are halted on the endless conveyor belt 47. (Since the endlessconveyor belt 47, as previously mentioned, comprises idle rollers 46provided on the endless chains 45, the chocolate pieces b can be haltedon the endless conveyor belt 47.) On the right side of the dividingroller 52, the two rows of chocolate pieces b sent out by the dividingroller 52 are carried forward a suitable space ahead of the followingtwo rows to be sent out by the dividing roller 52, because the formerrows are conveyed by the endless conveyor belt 47 moving at a ratehigher than the circumferential speed of the dividing rollers 52. Thatis to say, the arranged chocolate pieces b are grouped by the dividingroller 52 into packing units (each comprising twelve pieces in thepresent embodiment) on the endless conveyor belt 47.

The orderly arranged chocolate pieces b grouped into each packing unitare transferred one unit after another from the delivery end of theendless conveyor belt 47 through a guide plate (or bridge plate) 58 intoeach chocolate receiving member 59 by means of a pushing member 57 whichis adapted to repeatedly perform downward advancing movement and upwardretreating movement in operative relationship with the advancing speedof the endless conveyor belt 47 In the right-hand portion of the mainframe 2 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) there are provided sprockets 60a and 61arespectively mounted on the opposite ends of sprocket shafts 60 and 61which are transversely mounted on the main frame 2. Around the sprockets60a and 61a are disposed two parallel endless chains 62 which arespanned with holding members 63 fixed thereto in equidistantly spacedrelationship over the entire periphery of the chains. On each of theholding members 63 are mounted the chocolate receiving member 59 and abase sheet carrier 64, the former being positioned on the front side ofthe main frame 2 and on the right of the endless conveyor belt 47, thelatter on the rear side of the main frame 2. The chocolate receivingmember 59 is adapted to be movable toward or away from the base sheetcarrier 64.

Each of the chocolate receiving members 59 is formed in the shape oftrough for receiving the twelve chocolate pieces b (see FIGS. 8 to 12).A sliding leg 59a of the member 59 is slidably fitted into a guide 63awith a cam roller 59b attached to the protruding end of the sliding leg59a. The receiving member 59 is always pulled by a pulling spring 59ctoward the right as viewed in FIG. 10, i.e. toward the front of the mainframe 2. Into the troughlike portion of the chocolate receiving member59 extends a chocolate pusher 65 serving to transfer the chocolatepieces b on the troughlike portion onto a base sheet a on the base sheetcarrier 64. Each of the chocolate pushers 65 has a supporting frame 65aexternally fitted to the holding member 63 in slidable manner, and asliding foot 65b which is fixed to the supporting frame 65a is alsoslidably inserted into a guide groove 63b in the holding member 63. Inthe bottom surface of the supporting frame is attached a cam roller 650.

On the other hand, each of the base sheet carriers 64 is, asillustrated, shaped in the form of a trough with a side wall slightlyinclined inward so as to receive the aforementioned base sheet atherein. By means of a hinge 640, the side wall 64a on the left-handside of the main frame 2 is hinged to the bottom plate 64b of the basesheet carrier 64 in foldable manner. The side wall 64a is also providedwith an actuating arm 64c having a roller 64d at the end.

The endless chains 62 for driving the holding member 63 toward the rightof the main frame 2 are driven by the sprockets 61a on the shaft 61which are operatively connected in sprocket-chain relationship as at 66to the drive shaft 50 rotatably supported on the main frame 2. (Theholding members on the lower run of the chains 62 advancing in thereverse direction are not shown in FIG. 2.) The drive shaft 50 isadapted to be rotated in gearmeshing relationship as at 70 by a driveshaft 69 which is driven by a motor 67 through a speed reducing gearunit 68. The drive shaft 69 is also operatively connected in asprocket-chain relationship as at 71 to a drive shaft 72, which drivesthe previously mentioned cam shaft 12 in operative relationship of bevelgears 73 and which is operatively connected in sprocket-chain relationas at 74 to the aforementioned drive shaft 43. In resembling mannerthrough sprocket-chain relationship as at 93, the drive shaft 72 is alsoadapted to drive a drive shaft 55.

Near the end proximate to the sprocket 60a of the endless chains 62providing the holding members 63 is disposed a base sheet container 75facing the path of the base sheet carrier 64. Filed up in the container75 are the base sheets a with flaps a a a and a folded as shown in FIG.17. On the left side of the container 75 and behind the aforementioneddividing roller 52 there is disposed a slider 77 slidably fitted into aguide member 76 on the main frame 2. The slider 77 is joined by aconnecting rod 79 to a pin 78a eccentrically provided on and projectingfrom a rotary disc cam 78 fixedly mounted on the drive shaft 43 on themain frame 2 (see FIGS. 6 and 7). When the cam 78 is rotated in thedirectioin of an arrow in the figure, the slider 77 is brought into atravelling movement toward and away from the container 75, whereupon apushing plate 80 forwardly extending from the slider 77 delivers intothe troughlike portion of each base sheet carrier 64 the lowermost ofthe base sheets a in the container 75 one by one, said base sheetcarrier 64 being mounted on the holding member 63 on the endless chains62.

Above the slider 77 is disposed a vertical travel member 81 with a leg81a inserted into a vertical hole of the slider 77 in verticallyslidable manner. A spring 82 is interposed between the slider 77 and thetravel member 81 for pressing the latter upward. On an axis 83a in theupper end of a bracket 2h on the main frame 2 is pivotally mounted aguiding rod 83 which operates in scalelike movement. The under surfaceof a right portion of the rod 83 is kept in contact with a roller 81bwhich is mounted on the upper end of the leg 81a. A cam roller 830,provided at the left end of the operating portion 83b, is in contactwith the peripheral surface 78b of the rotary disc cam 78. By means of aconnecting arm 810, the vertical travel member 81 is connected to apushing member 57 which is positioned above the delivery end portion(i.e. on the right of the dividing roller 52) of the endless conveyorbelt 47. Accordingly, the pushing member 57, accompanied by the verticaltravel member 81 which moves forward and rearward together with theslider 77, moves forward and rearward along the direction of thetransfer operation of the endless conveyor belt 47. In the forward (i.e.rightward) movement, the cam roller 830 on the guiding rod 83 contactswith the elevated position on the periphery 78b of the disc cam 78 andthe leg 81a is therefore pushed down by the guiding rod 83. The verticaltravel member is now lowered to bring the pushing member 57 to aposition close to the upper surface of the endless conveyor belt 47,with the result that the pushing member pushes the two rows of chocolatepieces b which have been separated by the dividing roller 52 from thefollowing pieces and delivers them from the forward end of the endlessconveyor belt 47 through the guide plate 58 into the troughlike portionof the chocolate receiving member 59 mounted on the holding member 63 onthe endless chains 62. On the other hand in the backward movement (i.e.leftward travel), the cam roller 83c is brought in contact with the lowposition on the peripheral surface 78b to permit the right hand portionof the guiding rod 83, together with the vertical travel member 81, tobe pushed up by the spring 82. The pushing member 57 in turn is raisedup to be moved away from the endless conveyor belt 47. Through therepeated descending forward movement and ascending backward movementperformed by the pushing member 57, the chocolate pieces b divided andset forth by the dividing roller 52 are, in successive manner,discharged into each of the chocolate receiving members 59.

Since the pushing plate 80 and the pushing member 57, through thereciprocating movement of the slider 77, simultaneously perform forwardand backward movement, each base sheet a sent out by the pushing plate80 from the container 75 and each two rows of chocolate pieces b pushedout by the pushing member 57 are respectively delivered onto the basesheet carrier 64 and chocolate receiving member 59 on the holding member\1 63 which has been raised up, when the sheet and chocolate are to bedelivered, to a position above the sprockets 60a by being conducted bythe endless chains 62 along the sprockets 60a.

The moment when the base sheet carrier 64, through the above-mentionedmovement, is about to receive the base sheet a, the side wall 64a on thereceiving side (i.e. the wall on the left as viewed from the front ofthe main frame 2) is opened into nearly horizontal position on the hinge64c by the actuating arm 64a and due to the weight of the roller 64d tothereby facilitate the delivery operation. Upon the completion of thebase sheet supplying operation, the roller 64d, as shown in FIG. 11,runs against the end portion 84a of a rail 84 secured to the main frame2 to start raising the side wall 64a, and as the endless chains 62 moverightward (i.e. leftward in FIG. 11), the roller 64d runs onto the rail84 causing the side wall 64a to rise up as illustrated in the dottedline, so that the base sheet a is retained on the bottom plate 64dagainst possible displacement therefrom.

In the path of the travel of the holding member 63, carrying chocolatepieces b and a base sheet a respectively in the receiving member 19 andcarrier 64 and adapted to advance toward the right of the main frame onthe endless chains 62, there are intermediately disposed rotary hooks85b and 86b which are positioned above the opposite end flaps a and a ofthe base sheet a resting on the base sheet carrier 64. The rotary hooks85b and 86b are mounted on shafts '85 and 86 which are driven indirections opposite to each other by the shaft 87 in gear-meshingrelationship as at 85a and 86a, the shaft 87 being adapted to beintermediately driven in the sprocket-chain relationship as at 51 by thedrive shaft 50 for driving the endless conveyor belt 47. The rotaryhooks are therefore driven in the direction shown by arrows in FIG. 8and in the course of rotation the tips of the hooks catch the oppositeend flaps a and a of the base sheet a to get them raised and furtherlaid open on the opposite side as illustrated in imaginary line, thusunfolding the flaps a and a Being fixed to the advanced holding members63, the chocolate receiving members 59 advance together with the basesheet carriers 64 toward the right of the main frame 2. While theunfolding operation is being provided to the base sheet a on the basesheet carrier 64, the chocolate receiving member 59 reaches the positionwhere a stationary trapezium cam 88 is mounted on the main frame 2,whereupon the cam roller 59b on the forward end of the sliding leg 59ais brought into contact with the stationary cam 88. The chocolatereceiving member 59 is now moved along the shape of the cam 88. Alongthe guide 63a of the holding member 63 and against the action of thepulling spring 59c, the receiving member 59 is pushed toward the basesheet carrier 64 (see FIGS. 1, 9 and 10) with the extending end marginpositioned above the unfolded flap a of the base sheet a, and furtherpushed over the bottom surface of the base sheet a, the receiving member59 is inserted between the bottom surface and the side flaps a and athereby allowing the side flaps a and 11 to rise up along the side Wallsof the base sheet carrier 64, whereupon the advancing movement isbrought to a halt.

On the other hand, due to the forward movement of the holding member 63,the chocolate pusher 65, which is fitted to the holding member 63 bymeans of the sup porting frame 65a and sliding foot 65b and extendinginto the trough-like portion of the chocolate receiving member 59,begins, simultaneously with the above described movement of thechocolate piece receiving member 59, to move along a stationarytriangular cam 89 on the main frame 2 toward the base sheet carrier 64,the cam roller 65c downwardly protruding from the sliding foot 65b beingbrought into contact with the triangular cam 89. Upon the receivingmember 59 finishing advancing toward the base sheet carrier 64, thechocolate pusher 65 pushes forward and transfers the chocolate pieces bfrom the trough-like portion of the receiving member 59 onto the basesheet a.

"Furthermore, upon the completion of the unfolding operation for theopposite flaps a and a of the base sheet a by the rotary hooks b and 86bpreviously mentioned, the rear end flap a of the base sheet a, with therightward travel of the holding member 63, is brought into contact withand urged to the raised position along a guide path 90 which is providedon the main frame 2 along the path of the movement of the flap a so asto prevent the chocolate pieces b from being pushed too far beyond therear end flap portion and dropped from the base sheet a when they are tobe transferred from the receiving member 59 onto the base sheet a.

Upon the completion of chocolate piece delivery onto the base sheet a bythe chocolate pusher 65, the cam roller 59b of the receiving member 59is released from the stationary trapezium cam 88, whereupon thechocolate receiving member 59 is by the pulling spring 59c placed backto the original position on the holding member 63. Simultaneously withthis, the chocolate pusher 65 is also returned to the original positionby the cam roller 650 being guided by a guide 89a disposed along thestationary triangular cam 89.

After the returning movement of the chocolate receiving member 59 iscompleted and while that of the chocolate pusher 65 is being carriedout, the front end flap a of the base sheet a is led into a guidepassage 91a of a guide member 91 (see FIGS. 13, 14 and 15) fixedlymounted on the main frame 2 in the path of the flap a While conductedthrough the guide passage, the flap a is raised to the position alongthe end portions of the chocolates b as illustrated in FIG. 18.

In the manner described above, each packing unit of twelve chocolatepieces b is placed and retained on the base sheet a as shown in FIG. 18,and the chocolates are then discharged successively onto a chute 92which is joined to the delivery end of the endless chains 62. Thus thepacking operation provided by the present invention is completed. In thesubsequent step, an external packaging operation Will be given to thebase sheets a.

As described above, the present invention comprises steps offull-automatically transferring a predetermined number of chocolatepieces from the flat plates onto the endless conveyor belt, thechocolates being placed on said plates in orderly arrangement just asthey were molded by a manufacturing apparatus, dividing the chocolatesinto each packing unit of a desired number during transference on theendless conveyor belt, delivering the divided chocolate pieces into thechocolate receiving members while supplying base sheets one by one fromthe base sheet container into the base sheet carriers, advancing thechocolate receiving members and base sheet carriers in the samedirection with the former directed toward the latter, and transferringduring the advancement movement the chocolate pieces from chocolatereceiving members onto the base sheets on the carriers. In accordancewith the present invention, all of these steps can be carried outfull-automatically in reliable and rapid operations.

Needless to say, it is to be understood that as apparent from thedescription above the foregoing embodiment, with modification of thedetails of the structure, can be made applicable to packing operationsof various confections other than chocolates without departing from thespirit and scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A method for automatically packing confections comprising steps ofplacing flat plates carrying confections thereon in a frame box inlayers which is mounted on a main frame, each of said plates carrying apredetermined number of the confections in orderly arrangement; sendingout the lowermost of said plates in seriatim to a specified position;transferring the confections on the plates onto an endless conveyor beltby a discharge means while the orderly arrangement of the confectionsbeing maintained, said discharge means being positioned above thespecified position and operating in a direction normal to the directionin which said plates are sent out; dividing the arranged confectionsbeing carried forward on said endless conveyor belt into suitably spacedapart packing units each comprising a predetermined number ofconfections by means of dividing members equidistantly spaced apart on adividing roller, said dividing roller being provided above the uppersurface of said endless conveyor belt and adapted to be rotated at acircumferential speed lower than the advancing speed of said endlessconveyor belt; transferring successively each of the packing units ofthe confections from said endless conveyor belt into each confectionreceiving member on respective holding members by a pushing memberperforming repeated downward advancing movement and upward retreatingmovement at the delivery end of said endless conveyor belt, said holdingmembers being continuously driven in the same direction as and inoperative relationship with said endless conveyor belt; supplyingsuccessively the lowermost of base sheets from a container into eachbase sheet carrier by a pushing plate operatively connected to saidpushing member, said base sheet carrier and said confection receivingmember being directed toward each other on each of said holding members,said base sheets being piled up in said container with peripheral flapsthereof folded, said container being disposed beside the path of saidendless conveyor belt; moving each unit of the divided confections andeach of said base sheets simultaneously in the same direction whileunfolding the front and rear flaps of said base sheet and raising therear flap; bringing simultaneously therewith the end of said eachconfection receiving member to a position above each of said unfoldedbase sheets over the front flap thereof raising the side flaps thereof;delivering the confections from each of said confection receivingmembers onto each of said base sheets; returning each of said confectionreceiving members and thereafter raising the front flaps of said eachsheet to thereby retain the confections on said base sheet.

2. An apparatus for automatically packing confections comprising a framebox disposed across the rear portion of a pair of guide rails andreceiving therein in piled layers flat plates each carrying apredetermined number of orderly arranged group of confections, saidguide rails being disposed on the upper surface of an end portion of amain frame transversely therewith; means positioned under said frame boxfor receiving the lowermost of said plates carrying confections one byone and carrying down each plate onto the guide rail surfaces; means forsending out each of said plates on guide rail surfaces to the front ofsaid frame box along the guide rails; a discharge means for transferringthe confections arranged on said each plate and reaching a predeterminedposition from said plate onto an endless conveyor belt which isadvancing from the side of said guide rails toward the longitudinaldirection of the main frame, the confections being so transferred whilemaintaining the arrangement; a dividing means for dividing the arrangedconfections on said endless belt into packing units each comprising apredetermined number of confections by dividing members equidistantlyspaced apart on the circumferential surface thereof, said dividing meansbeing located intermediately of the path of the progress of the arrangedconfections which move together with and rest on said endless conveyorbelt, said dividing means being adapted to rotate toward the advancingdirection of said endless conveyor belt at a circumferential speed lowerthan the advancing speed of said endless conveyor belt; simultaneousdelivery means of confections and base sheets for transferring eachpacking unit of confections from said endless conveyor belt into each ofconfection receiving members and for pushing out simultaneously with thetransference of the confections and in the same direction the lowermostof said base sheets one by one from a container into each of base sheetcarriers, said confection receiving member and base sheet carrier beingdirected toward each other on respective holding members mounted onendless chains at the delivery end of said endless conveyor belt andadapted to be moved with and in the same direction as said chains, saidcontainer containing a pile of said base sheets with the peripheralflaps thereof folded and being disposed beside the path of said endlessconveyor belt; and means for unfolding the front and rear flaps of saidbase sheets, raising the rear flaps during the progress of said basesheet carriers, thereafter advancing said confection receiving memberstoward said base sheet carriers, delivering the confections from each ofsaid confection receiving members onto each of said base sheets,returning said confection receiving members, raising the front flaps ofsaid base sheets and sending out the packed confections onto a chute.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said means forsuccessively carrying down the lowermost of said plates onto the guiderail surfaces comprises supporting members having legs supported bypivots mounted on the main frame and adapted to be pivotallyreciprocally movable so as to allow the edges thereof to project intoand out of said frame box, said edges being adapted to support at asuitable position above the guide rails the opposite side margins ofsaid lowermost plate and to be released from the side margins of saidplate, a first disc cam mounted on a cam shaft on said main frame, and avertical travel frame adapted to be actuated by said disc cam intoupward and downward movement to allow the upper ends thereof to moveabove and below said guide rails, said travel frame being adapted in theupper limit of the upward movement to receive the bottom surface of saidlowermost plate which has been released from the edges of saidsupporting members and during the downward movement to place said plateon the guide rail surfaces, said supporting members having in the upperand lower portions of the legs relative to the pivots protrusions to beassociated with the protrusions formed in said vertical travel frame foreffecting supporting and releasing of the side margins of said plate bysaid supporting members.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said means for sending outconfection carrying plate on the guide rail surfaces to thepredetermined position in front of said frame box comprises a seconddisc cam mounted on a cam shaft, a travelling member adapted to beactuated by said second disc cam into forward and backward movement atthe predetermined time and serving to slightly move forward the arrangedconfections on said plates thereby releasing the confections from thesticking engagement therewith, said travelling member being positionedbehind said frame box,. pushing members for said confection carryingplates which members are mounted in predetermined space apartrelationship on endless chains driven by the cam shaft in sprocket-chaindriving relationship therewith, said pushing members being positionedunder said frame box and along the guide rails and adapted to be drivenfrom the rear portion of the main frame toward the front, and a stop barmounted in the front portion of the main frame and disposed across saidguide rails for stopping only the arranged eonfections on saidconfection carrying plates at a predetermined position.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said discharged means fortransferring the arranged group of confections onto said endlessconveyor belt provided beside said guide rails, the confections havingbeen carried up to the predetermined position in front of the frame boxon the confection carrying plates and being halted by a stop bar,comprises a third cam on a cam shaft. pivotal arms supported on pivotson the main frame and adapted to be actuated by said disc cam intopivotal movement at the predetermined time, a regulating rod mounted onthe end of said pivotal arm and adapted to be brought down behind therear end row of the arranged confections when they are stopped by saidstop bar, said regulating rod being disposed in front of said frame boxand above said guide rails transversely thereof, a suitable number ofholding rods disposed in equidistantly spaced apart relationship abovethe halted arranged confections and extending over said endless conveyorbelt and trans versely of said guide rails for preventing theconfections from being raised up off said plates, discharge membersmounted on endless chains in equidistantly space apart relationship andadapted to be driven toward the extending direction of said holdingrods, said endless chains being operatively connected in sprocket-chainrelationship to a drive shaft on the main frame and also operativelyassociated with the rotation of said cam shaft, and a guide platespanning the side portion of said guide rails and said endless conveyorbelt.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said dividing means fordividing the arranged confections advancing on said endless conveyorbelt into the packing units comprises said endless conveyor belt havingtwo parallel endless chains extending from the side of said guide railstoward the longitudinal direction of the main frame and a number ofparallel idle rollers supported between and on said two endless chains,the extending portions of holding rods located in a desired elevatedposition above said endless conveyor belt, and a dividing rollerdisposed intermediately across said endless conveyor belt and havingdividing members provided with edges adapted to be brought close to theupper surface of said conveyor belt, said dividing members being formedequidistantly spaced apart relationship on the circumferential surfaceof said roller.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said means fortransferring the divided confections on said endless conveyor belt fromthe delivery end of said belt into each of said confection receivingmembers and for supplying simultaneously therewith and in the samedirection each of said base sheets from said container into each of saidbase sheet carrier comprises a container for receiving in layers anumber of said confection packing base sheets with peripheral flapsthereof folded, said container being disposed on the main frame behindthe delivery end of said endless conveyor belt in upright position andfacing toward the path of said base sheet carriers, a rotary disc campositioned behind said container and mounted on a drive shaft on themain frame, a slider connected by a connecting rod to a pineccentrically fixed to said rotary disc cam and adapted to be movedtoward and away from said container by the rotation of said rotary disccam, a pushing plate successively supplying the lowermost of said basesheets from said container into each of said base sheet carriers throughthe forward movement of said slider, said pushing plate being adapted tobe pushed out forwardly of said slider, a vertical travel memberslidably mounted on said slider with an interposing spring and adaptedto perform forward and backward movement together with said slider, aguiding rod adapted to be actuated into scalelike movement with one endthereof kept in contact with the peripheral surface of said rotary disccam and the other end thereof in contact with the upper end of saidvertical travel member so as to bring in accordance with the level ofthe peripheral surface of said rotary disc earn the vertical travelmember into downward movement during the advancing movement thereof andinto upward movement during the backward movement, a pushing member fordelivering each packing unit of the confections in transit on saidendless conveyor belt into each of said confection receiving memberssimultaneously with the advancing downward movement of said verticaltravel member, said pushing member being fixed to the forward end of aconnect ng arm secured to said vertical travel member and positionedabove the delivery end of said endless conveyor belt transversely to theconveying direction of the same, and a guide plate for guidingconfections from the delivery end of said endless conveyor belt intoeach of said confection receiving members when the confections aretransferred thereinto by said pushing member.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said means fortransferring the confections from each of said confection receivingmembers onto each of said base sheets so as to retain the confectionsthereon while moving said confection receiving member and base sheetcarrier simultaneously in the same direction and for sending out thebase sheets retaining confections from the delivery end onto a chutecomprises two parallel endless chains disposed at the delivery end ofsaid endless conveyor belt in operatively connected relationshiptherewith and driven in the same direction as said endless conveyorbelt, holding members mounted on and between said two endless chains inequidistantly spaced relationship over the entire peripheries of saidparallel endless chains, confection receiving members of the troughlikeshape mounted respectively on said holding members in slidable manner,pushers for respectively delivering confections from each of saidconfection receiving members onto each of said base sheets directedtoward said confection receiving member, each of said pushers extendinginto the troughlike portion of each of said confection receiving membersand mounted slidably on each of said holding members, a stationarytrapezium cam mounted on the main frame along one side of the path ofsaid confection receiving members for guiding the sliding movement ofsaid confection receiving members, a stationary triangular cam mountedon the main frame in the path of said pushers for guiding the slidingmovement of said pushers, base sheet carriers mounted respectively oneach of said holding members for receiving each of said base sheetssupplied from said container, said base sheet carrier and saidconfection receiving member being directed toward each other, rotaryhooks mounted above the path of the opposite end flaps of said basesheets on said base sheet carriers and adapted to be rotated so as tounfold the front and rear end flaps of the base sheets to horizontalposition, a stationary guide plate disposed in the path of the unfoldedrear flaps of the base sheets and adapted to raise the rear flaps, and astationary guide member positioned proximate to the end portion of thepath of the front flaps of the base sheets for raising the front flaps.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,864,216 12/1958 Long et al.53123 3,129,546 4/1964 Redmond 53--123 XR 3,183,642 5/1965 Tindall53-123 XR THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner H. A. KILBY, JR., AssistantExaminer US. Cl. X.R.

